Adjustable mounting for bobbin magazines



April 26, 1949. R. G. TURNER 2,468,525

I ADJUSTABLE MOUNTING FOR BOBBIN MAGAZINES Original Filed Jung 28, 19472 Sheets-Sheet 1 4FIG.

L" INVENTOR RICHARD G. TURNER ATTORNEY April 26, 1949- R. G. TURNERADJUSTABLE MOUNTING FOR BOBBIN MAGAZINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original FiledJune 28, 1947 FIG.|O

I l N V E N T O R R G H A I? D G. TU R N E I? ATTQRNEY Patented Apr. 26,1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADZJUSEABLE IVIOUNTING FOR BOBBINMAGAZINES Richard G. Turner, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Crompton &Knowles Loom -Works, Worcester, Mass a corporation of Massachusetts 3Claims.

This is a division of my copending application Serial No. 757,875, filedJune 28, 1947, now Patent No. 2,455,149.

This invention relates to improvements in weft replenishing looms and itis the general object of the invention to provide an improved reservebobbin magazine.

The diameter of the weft wound on the reserve bobbins in a weftreplenishing mechanism may be larger than, equal to, or smaller than thediameter of the bobbin butts. Furthermore, in the weaving of certaintypes of fabrics it is not permissible to have knots or the like in theweft because of blemishes which they would produce in the finishedfabric. When the yarn breaks during the windin of a bobbin to be used inthe weaving of such fabrics the bobbin is removed from the windingmachine and sent to the loom, even though the bobbin be only partlywound. Under such conditions the magazine will contain bobbins some ofwhich are fully Wound and others of which have only a short mass of weftthereon. The full and partly wound bobbins, regardless of their weftdiameter, will not stack properly, and the upper bobbins will have theirtips so far below their butts that they fall out of the magazine.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a bobbinmagazine with readily adjustable guideways for both the butts and tipsof the bobbins so that by a simple manual operation the weaver canadjust the widths of the guideways to a condition which will enable thebobbins to lie substantially horizontally and therefore feed downwardlytoward transfer position without falling out of the magazine. Thus, ifseveral partly filled bobbins are in the magazine the tip guideways canbe made narrow to raise the tips and prevent objectionable tilting ofthe upper bobbins.

Since the bobbin conditions change from time to time as new bobbins areplaced in the magazine it is desirable that the widths of the guidewaysbe readily adjustable, and it is a further object of the invention toaccomplish this result by means of yielding locks which can be movedquickly and easily to alter the widths of the guideways.

In the weaving of fabrics requiring two shuttles a rocking magazine maybe employed which can be shifted to place the lowest bobbin in either ofthe two bobbin stacks in transfer position. This requires a pivot forthe magazine and also generally requires that the outer or bobbin tipengaging plate of the magazine be supported from the inner or buttengaging plate of the magazine. When magazines of this type are madelarge enough to accommodate a considerable number of bobbins it is foundthat the outer plate tends to vibrate, and to correct this conditionitis a further object of the present invention to provide anti-vibrationguides, such. as rolls, positioned to engage the inner plate of themagazine.

It is occasionally desirable to be able to effect slight adjustments inthe vertical position'of the magazine and to accomplish this result itis a further object of the present invention to form the aforesaid pivotof the magazine as an eccentrio to enable the magazine to be raised orlowered to place the bottom bobbins in transfer position correctly withrespect to the shuttle on the lay. Any horizontal displacement of thelower end of the magazine caused by adjustment of the eccentric can becorrected by adjustable stops which determine the two extreme angularpositions to which the magazine can be swung.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanyin drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of myinvention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section ofthe forward part of aloom equipped with a magazine zzzade according to the present invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the magazine looking in thedirection of arrow 2, Fig. 1,

Figs. 3 and 4 are side elevations, partly in section, looking in thedirections of arrows 3 and 4, respectively, of Fig. 2, Fig. 3 beinenlarged,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3 showingthe adjustment for one of the butt guideways,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 55-6 of Fig. 1, showingthe adjustment forone of the tip guideways,

Fig. '7 isan enlarged vertical sectionon line l-1, Fig. 2,

Fig. 8 is a vertical section online 88, Fig. '7,

Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical section on line 9--9, Fig. 3,

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view showing the normal relation of bobbinbutts and tips when the bobbins are fully wound, the weftandbuttdiameters being the same,

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic front elevation of a magazine containingpartly filled bobbins as they appear before adjustment of the tipguideway, and

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 but showing the bobbin tips raisedsubsequent to reduction in the width of the tip guideway.

Referring to Fig. 1, the loom frame Ill has mounted thereon a support Hfor the magazine designated generally at M. The latter is pivoted on astud I2 extending through a hub is on the magazine support, see Fig. 9.The magazine has an inner or butt engaging plate l4 and an outer or tipengaging plate l5. Plate M has front and back bobbin butt guideways Itand I1, respec-- tively, while plate is has front and back bobbin tipguideways l8 and ill, respectively.

The bobbins B and B in the two stacks feed down their respective frontand back guideways by gravity toward transfer positions, one at thebottom of each of the bobbin stacks, as will be apparent in Fig. 3, topermit a transfer arm to transfer the bobbin under it in transferposition into one or the other of two alternately Z.

active shuttles only one of which is shown at S. The shuttle when at thereplenishing end of the 100m occupies shuttle box 2! on lay L.

The bobbins have butts or heads 22, a mass of yarn Y, and tips 23. plateI4 is provided with a spacer lug which separates the lowest bobbins ofthe two stacks, and front and back bobbin butt supports 26 and 21,respectively, may be mounted in usual manna to yield whenever the lowestbobbin in the assoy 1 ciated guideway or stack is being transferred. Insimilar manner, the tips of the bobbins may be held by yielding supports28 and 29 mounted pivotally on the outer magazine plate I5.

The magazine is ordinarily at rest in the posi tion shown in Fig. 1, butcan rock about stud 12. When a replenishing operation is to occur themagazine will remain in its normal position if the rear lowest bobbin Bis to be transferred, but if the lowest bobbin B is to be transferredthe magazine will be rocked. The rocking mechanism includes a rod 303pivotally connected to plate M, a second rod 3| operated by the shiftingshuttle box motion (not shown), and a bell crank lever 32.

Except as indicated hereinafter the matter thus far described may be ofthe usual construction and operates in the usual manner.

As already stated, the magazine can operate with various types ofbobbins which, because of the diameter of their yarn masses or amount ofyarn thereon, may not stack properly or feed properly down theirguideways toward transfer position. The yarn diameter may be greater orless than the butt diameter or equal to it, and the bobbins may beeither fully wound with weft extending practically the full lengththereof, or only partly wound. The magazine may thus be supplied with anassortment of bobbins, some full and others only partly full. of partlyfull bobbins are present the tip ends of the upper bobbins will slantdownwardly far enough so that they can roll out of the magazine and withsuch a group of bobbins it will be desirable to make the tip guidewaysnarrow. If the yarn diameter is less than the butt diameter it will thenbe additionally desirable to widen the butt guideways.

In order to adapt the magazine for proper operation with these varioustypes of bobbins I make each of the guideways adjustable as to width.Considering the forward butt guideway [6, for instance, the innermagazine plate It is formed with an integral flange or wall for theright hand parts of the bobbin butts in the. left The lower part of theinner If a large number '4 stack as viewed in Fig. 3, and the lower leftpart or" guideway it may also be defined by a second integral flange orwall 3b. The upper left hand part of the guideway, however, is formed bya movable wall the lower end of which is pivoted as at 38 to the plate il.

The upper part of the movable wall 37 is held in position by means shownmore particularly in Fig. 5. The plate it is provided with a horizontalslot it and a series of holding teeth M on the inner or left hand sidethereof, as viewed in Fig. 2. The wall 3i has a fiange ar lying flatagainst the surface 433 of plate it. Bolt d5 passes through the flange32 and slot ill and has its outer end surrounded by a compression spring56 located in the cylindrical shell or cup ll of a yielding lock orholding member 43. The latter has teeth 59 which are normally urged intoholding relation with teeth i-l by the spring.

The movable back wall 58 for the rear guideway ii is similar to the wall37 except that its pivot 51 is lower than pivot 38. It is also heldadjustably in position by mechanism similar to that shown in Fig. 5.

In like manner, the outer magazine plate [5 is provided with adjustablefront and back walls 55 and lit, respectively, to cooperate with flangesor walls ill and 558, respectively, integral with plate it to define thebobbin tip guideways. The walls 55 and 56 are pivoted as at lit and havebolts 8!, see Fig. 6, provided with the same character of fittings shownin Fig. 5 and passing through slots 62 in plate it.

From the matter thus far described it will be apparent that each of theadjustable walls 31, 5E, 55 and 56 can be moved readily from oneposition to another merely by movement of the adjustable clamping orlooking members 58 in directions to release teeth ie from teeth ll.After the walls have been moved to their new positions the members 48can be released, whereupon their springs will reengage teeth All and 49to hold the movable walls in their adjusted positions.

Diagrammatic Fig. 10 shows the normal arrangement of the bobbins whenthey are all fully wound and of a given weft diameter, as for instancewhen the latter equals the butt diameter. Both the butt and tipguideways will be flared so that their walls diverge upwardly to permitthe bobbins to be staggered to prevent rolling due to loom vibration. Ifthe bobbins should not all be fully wound, and two of them have shortmasses of weft as in Fig. 11, the top bobbins will be tilted and willtend to fall out of the magazine. Under these conditions the tipguideway will be too ide, and its movable wall will be moved toward thefixed Wall, therebycausing the tips to rise as they come more nearlyinto vertical alignment. The bobbins will then be in positions such asshown in Fig. 12, and will be in proper position for correct downwardfeeding.

A similar adjustment can be made if the yarn diameters are larger thanthe butt diameters and some of the bobbins are only partly wound. Ifmovement of the adjustable tip wall does not give all the correctionneeded the movable butt wall can be moved away from its fixed wall.These adjustments can be made even if the yarn diameter equals the buttdiameter, provided some of the bobbins are only partly full of weft.

It will therefore be seen that full and partly wound bobbins can beplaced in the magazine stacks in any order and the movable wallsadjustedto effect substantialhorizontal alignment of the bobbins. Theseadjustments are able to move the bobbins as described due to the factthat the butt and tip guideways are normally flared upwardly, thuspermitting adjustment of the movable walls toward their fixed walls.

The inner and outer magazine plates are held together by a brace 65having feet 66 secured to the plates and joined by a horizontal section61 the length of which determines the distance between the magazineplates. The feet are suitably secured to their respective plates as at68 so that the outer plate l 5 drives its entire support from the innerplate M.

The second feature of the invention relates to steadying or vibrationpreventing means for the magazine. As shown in Figs. 3 and 7, themagazine support H is provided with two anti-vibration members made asshown in Fig. 8. Each support has a shank threaded into the support I land held in adjusted longitudinal position by a lock nut H. The end ofeach member 10 adjacent to the inner magazine plate M is provided with aball 72 which bears against an anti-friction plate 13 secured to themagazine plate and rolls freely in its socket 59 when the magazinerocks. These members H3 are located a considerable distance below thepivot stud i 2 and when properly set to engage plate 13 preventobjectionable vibration of the magazine, particularly the outer plate.Obviously other forms of anti-friction devices than the balls 12 can beutilized, but whatever form the members 10 take the magazine when rockedincident to a replenishing operation will be caused to move with aminimum of twisting, and the lowest bobbins B and B will be parallel tothe shuttle box 2|.

The rod 30 is connected to the magazine at a point not far removed fromthe steadying members 10 and this relationship results in propermovement of the outer magazine plate 55 when the magazine is rocked. Aspring 74 acts to return the magazine to normal position subsequent toswinging by rod 30.

The third feature of the invention relates to the vertical adjustment ofthe magazine. As shown in Fig. 2, support II is provided with a stoppinglug shown in cross section in Fig. 7. This lug is adapted for engagementwith one or the other of the front and back stop screws 16 and 11,respectively, which are mounted on the inner magazine plate l4. Thesescrews are adjustable so as to determine the correct transfer positionsof the lowest bobbins in the front and back stacks.

The previously described stud 12 has a shank 80 rockable in the hub 43and has an eccentric end Bl passing through a hub 82 on the insidemagazine plate l4. Nut 84 clamps the hub 82 against shoulder 85 of studl2 and lock nut 86 holds the setting. The nuts when loosened permitturning of stud l2 so that the eccentric 8| can cause rising or fallingof the magazine as a whole. As ShOWn in Fig. 9 the magazine is in itslowest position adaptable to small weft diameters, but the magazinewould be raised to provide added clearance if large diameter wefts arewound on the bobbins. If there should be any back and forth movement ofthe magazine due to turning of the eccentric the adjusting screws '16and 11 can be altered to locate the lowest bobbins in the magazinecorrectly for transfer.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a magazinewherein bobbins of various amounts of weft wound thereon can be alignedso they will remain in the magazine and feed downwardly in their stackstoward transfer position. Any one of several assortments of bobbins canbe placed in the guideways at random and when so placed the movableguideway walls can be adjusted as described to establish the widths ofthe guideways best suited to the bobbins. While the movable guidewaywalls have been described in connection with a particular kind ofholding device, such as the members 48, I do not wish necessarily thusto be limited, since any suitable holding means by which the adjustedwidths of the guideways may be retained will serve the purpose of thepresent invention. It will also be noted that the steadying members 10are adjustable toward and from the magazine and are at a considerabledistance below the pivot stud I2 and not far from the point at which aturning force is applied to the magazine by rod 30. Wear plate 13 is notessential but is desirable. Also, the eccentric stud l2 permits avertical adjustment of the magazine with respect to the shuttle box, andthe adjustable stop screws 16 and H afford compensation for any back andforth misplacement of the lowest bobbins in the magazine resulting fromadjustment of the eccentric. The details of the bobbin guides set forthhereinbefore are not claimed herein but form the subject matter of theparent application of which this is a division. Also, the hereinbeforedescribed matter relative to preventing magazine vibration is notclaimed herein but is claimed in copending application Serial No.30,091, filed on even date herewith.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes andmodifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wishto be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay carried shuttle box whichmoves to a transfer position, a magazine above'the shuttle box havingtwo horizontally spaced reserve bobbins and movable to two differenttransfer positions, one for each reserve bobbin, an eccentric pivotalsupport for the magazine adjustable angularly to raise and lower themagazine relatively to said shuttle box and eifective when so adjustedto move the bobbins horizontally relatively to the transfer position ofsaid shuttle box, adjustable stop means to determine said two transferpositions of the magazine, and positioning means efiective to move themagazine against said stop means to locate either of said bobbins inposition for transfer into said shuttle box when the latter is intransfer position.

2. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay carried shuttle box whichmoves to a transfer position, a magazine above the shuttle box havingtwo horizontally spaced reserve bobbins and movable to two differenttransfer positions, one for each reserve bobbin, an eccentric pivotalsupport for the magazine adjustable angularly to raise and lower themagazine relatively to said shuttle box and effective when so adjustedto move the bobbins horizontally relatively to the transfer position ofsaid shuttle box, adjustable stop means to determine said two transferpositions of the magazine, and positioning means connected directly tothe magazine and rising and falling therewith as the eccentric isadjusted and effective to move the magazine against said stop means tolocate either of said bobbins in position for transfer into said shuttlebox when the latter is in transfer position.

3. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay carried shuttle box whichmoves to a transfer position, a magazine above the shuttle box havingtwo horizontally spaced reserve bobbins, an eccentric pivotal supportfor the magazine adjustable angularly to raise and lower the magazinerelatively to said shuttle box and effective when so adjusted to movethe bobbins horizontally relatively to the transfer position of saidshuttle box, a pair of adjustable stops for the magazine to limithorizontal movement of said two reserve bobbins,

a positioning spring connected to and rising and 10 falling with themagazine as said eccentric is adjusted and normally holding the magazineagainst No references cited.

